


Trompe-Le Cœur (Trick of the Heart)

by MapleMermaid



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: M/M, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-17 05:10:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11268603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MapleMermaid/pseuds/MapleMermaid
Summary: The air looks hazy, his fingers tingle, and there's a feeling like his heart flops over.Oh.Oh, well that's new.





	Trompe-Le Cœur (Trick of the Heart)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [iamnotmagic_cath](https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamnotmagic_cath/gifts).



> For the 2017 SidGeno exchange. I got iamnotmagic_cath
> 
> Hope this fits the bill!

He wakes up slowly, which isn't necessarily unusual, but it's a relatively rare occurrence. Sleeping in is a comfort Sid rarely indulges in. He's comfortable, though. There's a heavy weight on his chest, and a sound like snuffling just behind his ear and—

Oh, right.

A little more awake now, he remembers Geno spent the night.

He lets himself have a moment to savour the feeling of someone holding him. It's been some time since there's been someone in his bed: platonic or otherwise. He can't spend all day in bed though, and he finally extricates himself.

He smiles at the mumbled protest. He doesn't think Geno will be getting up anytime soon. He looks over, and sure enough, Geno’s eyes are still firmly shut, his breath escaping on a slight wheeze of a snore he'll never admit to.

It's not an unfamiliar sight, but for some reason it makes something catch in Sid’s throat. The air looks hazy, his fingers tingle, and there's a feeling like his heart flops over.

_Oh._

Oh, well that's new.

It's funny. It's almost too funny. He always thought the "you'll just know" was a bullshit cop out. There had to be more to it than that, and there is, of course there is, but he can't explain it and he's _feeling_ it right now.

He almost wants to text his mom and apologize for all his disbelief. He thinks he understands now. How could anyone begin to explain this feeling? This sense of utter fulfillment. Completion.

The missing part of his soul.

A smacking sound jostles him out of it, and he gasps for air. He feels like he's forgotten how to breathe. He feels like the universe stopped existing in the time he's spent watching Geno and discovering what living really is.

Geno’s eyes flutter open, and Sid can't find any words. How can he begin to explain?

In the end, he doesn't need to. Geno doesn't react at all. He smiles the same way he always does, and acts no differently than ever.

He doesn't notice. He doesn't know.

Well, that's okay. That's okay then. Sid can be normal. He doesn't need anything more than what he has right now, anyway. This is already more than he ever dreamed.

It's enough.

———————

Mismatched soulmates aren't actually that rare. The universe is vast and unending and the person who makes you whole might not be empty themselves. There are platonic soulmates: family members, close friends. Love isn't always part of the equation.

Honestly, Sid thinks everyone else is making more of a deal of this than it needs to be.

“You found your _soulmate_ , Squid. That's not nothing.”

“I didn't say it was nothing, Taylor. Just that it's not mutual, and that's okay.”

Taylor makes an exasperated noise and hangs up on him. Sid expected that, though. His sister has always been a hopeless romantic.

Okay, she comes by that honestly, but Sid isn't expecting romance. This is Geno: his teammate, his close friend, his occasional platonic snuggle buddy. A lot of people don't get relationships this close on a regular basis. Let alone find out that person is their soulmate.

Besides, it's not like Sid has to tell Geno right away. After ten years of friendship, he thinks he's allowed to take some time to himself to figure this out.

In the meantime, Geno is his soulmate, and that's not nothing. Despite what his sister might think, Sid doesn't plan to do nothing. It took him years to get to this point. He can wait for Geno to catch up, or not, in time.

In the meantime, though, he'll have to make sure he tries a little harder.

He catches Geno's eyes a little more. He smiles a little brighter in Geno's company, which isn't difficult to do naturally. He invites himself over more often. Geno asks Sid to do things fairly regularly, like any other teammate, Sid just starts accepting more.

Other teammates definitely notice, though no one says much. He gets a couple of nods, a thumbs up here, a grin there. He hasn't admitted anything yet, but he's not exactly being subtle.

Well, he's maybe a little subtle, but Geno is terribly accommodating. It's so easy to do things for him, and with him. He walks a little closer, tucks his head when Geno walks by, and brushes arms with him.

He spends more time with Geno and finds little things Geno might like and things he needs. New gloves, more tea, that one brand of jam that can only be found for an obscene price online or at a more reasonable price but only in one shop in the city (on the _other side_ of the city).

He doesn't even think of it as strange or inconvenient. These aren't things he needs to do. They're things he wants to do now. Geno is his soulmate. That means he's Sid's to look after, to care for. Just because Geno isn't Sid's soulmate back, doesn't mean Sid doesn't have to care. Also, it's alarmingly easy to please Geno. Geno's needs aren't too difficult. Feed him, let him sleep, give him affection.

Geno is a singularly honest man, straightforward in his loyalties and emotions. He never asks for something Sid wouldn't give, and Sid doesn't deny him anything. He can't, really. He couldn't before, he makes it a pointed duty to never do it now.

———————

All those years ago, he let Geno go first. Knowing what he knows now, he wouldn't change a thing. He wonders though, with Geno knowing who Sid is now, if Geno would still ask.

Geno understands Sid's superstitions now, so it's hard to say, maybe he'd still ask, just to push his luck.

Sid would still let him go.

Sid would... let him go, he'd let Geno go. He already let Geno go. But at long as Geno stays, Sid will be here with him.

———————

Of all the people, it's Trevor who waylays him.

"Can I ask you something, Sid?"

"You deserved to lift that cup next, Dales. You deserved that moment."

Trevor grins at him. "I mean, it's nice to hear it again, but that wasn't the question."

It's been Trevor's only question for the last week, so Sid is a little thrown, but that's okay. He's the captain, he's here for anything. "What's up?"

"Is it easy? To know, and not say anything?"

Sid blinks. "To know..."

Trevor tips his head, and Sid follows the direction. It leads him to Geno. He's smiling before he remembers the question.

Well, he was probably due some questions. Trevor has a look on his face like wistfulness, like wanting. Sid knows that look. He’s not sure what to do about it, especially since he hasn’t really figured out his own soulmate issues, but he can do his best to answer truthfully.

"Easiest thing in the world, if I'm being honest. Being here for him. That's... that's what I'm here for."

"Sure, but... Don't the two of you ever wonder? What it would be like to try?"

Every day, Sid thinks. "The two of us?" He asks.

Trevor just shrugs. "Well, yeah. I mean you both... Don't you both?"

"I mean... I do? But Geno, he doesn't."

"Huh."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, he, uh. He said the same thing. About you. Shit, uh, sorry. Sorry, I probably shouldn't have- Sorry. I'll talk to you later."

He scampers off, and Sid just stares at the empty space where he had stood. Then he turns to Geno again.

Geno looks up, as if he feels Sid's eyes on him. He looks up and smiles at Sid so softly it makes Sid's heart lurch and turn over.

He had never considered that smile before.  He'd been too distracted by its effect on him, but now he wonders. He can't help but wonder.

He walks over.

"Hey, Geno?"

"Yes, Sid?"

"Can I talk to you?"

Sid reaches out, and places a hand on Geno's shoulder. It's a much more intimate touch than he usually allows himself in public. Geno just blinks at him, and nods.

Sid lets his hand trail down as Geno gets up. His fingers brush down Geno's arm until they reach his hand. Geno's palm is damp as Sid grabs it.

"What-" Geno's voice is a croak, it gives Sid hope. "What you're wanting to talk about?"

Sid looks up and squeezes Geno's hand. Geno squeezes back.

Sid feels that thick pulse in the air, the haze in his vision. He feels like he can't breathe, but that he could survive anything right now. His heart is close to bursting.

He finds his courage in Geno's eyes. "Soulmates," he murmurs.

———————

And Geno? Well.

Honestly Geno's always loved Sid. He's always found it a bit hard to breathe, but doesn't everyone feel that way about Sid? Sidney Crosby, the best hockey player in the world. Geno was half in love with him before they ever met.

That he looks at Sid sometimes and can't breathe is just... Well that's normal.

"That's not normal. That's a soulmate." Sasha tells him.

Which, is probably true. But why make things difficult? He loves Sid. Sid is probably his soulmate, but Sid is for the world, not for Geno. Geno is here to support Sid, and that's what he'll do.

In this, as in everything else, he'll wait for Sid’s lead.

“Soulmates,” Sid says, and something in Geno’s heart cracks wide open as the universe rushes in.

END


End file.
